ProudGrandma Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 I was wondering what the hive's opinion of these books would be. Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 (edited) My daughter read them when she was 7 and enjoyed them. We've all really, really enjoyed them as audiobooks, read by Tim Curry, though! Are you looking for something specific? (also, if you can see nowhere from your back yard, by are not in the middle, does that put you on the far edge of nowhere?) Eta: I would not recommend them for particularly sensitive child. Someone meets an untimely death in each one. Edited August 27, 2011 by MyCrazyHouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 We did several as read-alouds and audiobooks a couple of years ago. The kids loved them and I found them amusing, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 They are dark, ironic, funny melodrama. We love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Fun reading for those who enjoy the genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 I really wanted to like them. I thought the idea was clever. My daughter thought they were fabulous and would tell me some of the stories, which I thought were great. But when I decided to read one aloud to her, I couldn't stand the writing. Bleh. The movie was fun, though. (How's that for a reversal? Usually, I like a book better than the movie!) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 (also, if you can see nowhere from your back yard, by are not in the middle, does that put you on the far edge of nowhere?) . yes actually, we are on the edge of nowhere....most of the time it is very nice...except for when I want to go shopping at a Kohls....or even shopping just about anywhere...have to drive way too far. sigh....oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linguistmama Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 I LOVED them! They are a little too dark for my oldest right now, but I plan on sharing them with her in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 My dd enjoyed the audiobooks. We are now in the process of slowly buying the series of books for her. I've liked what I've heard of the audio. Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 My 7 yo has a fairly low tolerance for scary/intense stuff. He had a few nightmares when reading these (but again, he's really sensitive). Once we made them "daytime only" books he enjoyed them. His tolerance for this stuff has improved in the last few months (he's now 7.5). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 We started listening to the audio cd's from the library. We're on book 6 right now. All my kids love them. I like the mini vocabulary lessons when the narrator digresses and tells you what an expression mean or what a word in that context is supposed to be saying. I was a little hesitant because of the "unfortunate" stories included. But when I listen to my kids talking about the story line together they're not focusing on that emotional piece they focus on the adventures and the funny anecdotes through out the story line. It's good fun. But if you're not one that'd take your kids to a relative's funeral you might want to preview first. Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 I guess I'm odd one out - I thought they were a bit naff and my DS didn't like them either. He was too busy being outraged that anyone would be that horrible to other people to get a lot out of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 DH and I have read them for fun. I will let my so.e read them if he likes them. I actually forgot, they are still in a box in the garage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splinter Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 My oldest read them last year and loved them. He's even reread a few of his favorites. On the other hand, I tried reading them aloud to my younger kids and it didn't hold their attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 We love them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy1k Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 My kids enjoyed them, but I liked them more than the kids did. Sooo...I stopped forcing them to listen to me read them. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 DD12 never liked them, but she has only tried to read one or two. She isn't sensitive about violence, she just doesn't like the characters. Ds16 was never interested in reading them. We do own the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 They are dark, ironic, funny melodrama. We love them. :iagree: witty, difficult words (which are explained), appealing to kids, but not written down to kid level. Humorous. I've noticed more than a few reluctant reader male 4th graders chuckling over them, once they figure out the genre. Exactly! My ds liked Horrible Harry in third grade, but was totally immersed in the Baudelaires through fourth grade. These books were the first he ever read out loud to me, trying to make me laugh. He quoted phrases from the books. I love the series because it turned ds from a semi-reluctant reader (I had almost given up hope) into an avid reader. I'd say, give them a try. But do read them in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I have mixed emotions about this series. I read all of one and bits of others. I found them well written and amusing. However, I also found the light sarcasm towards truly horrific events was very off-putting. It was okay with me to joke about making an engine from scratch while hurtling down a mountain, but not okay to joke about small children losing their parents. In the end, I decided I didn't want to teach my children to be so flippant about such awful things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jubilation Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 DD5 loves them. I hated the movie but find the books entertaining. We are on the second one. However, I do edit out the worst parts when reading them to her (it's quite dark/violent in places). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 We enjoyed them and have the entire set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I LOVED them! They are a little too dark for my oldest right now, but I plan on sharing them with her in the future.Me, too! My oldest doesn't like fantasy, and my second isn't ready yet, but I loved them, have them all, and hope the kids will like them one day. I want to know where the illustrator, Brett Helquist, went to High School and when he graduated. He's from my hometown, Orem, Utah. Wouldn't it be weird if I knew him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I thought ds would like them, but he only got about halfway through the first book. He said it was too sad, and he didn't think it would get any better. He even showed me where it said in the very beginning that the story did not have a happy ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 We started listening to the first one on audiobook, but after the first chapter, both boys said they didn't like it and didn't want to listen anymore. I asked if it was just the voice they didn't like. One said yes, it was the voice, then other said no, it was the story he didn't like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I tried to get my son interested, but he never liked them so I didn't force it. I don't care for them either, but I tried not to let that show when I offered them to him. They're just not his style. Plenty of people love them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I don't recommend them for kids who are very sensitive or literal-minded. My DSS didn't get the dry, dark humor at all and thought we were mean to find it funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linguistmama Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I want to know where the illustrator, Brett Helquist, went to High School and when he graduated. He's from my hometown, Orem, Utah. Wouldn't it be weird if I knew him? I noticed that too because I went to BYU. Makes me feel all special. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I guess I'm odd one out - I thought they were a bit naff and my DS didn't like them either. He was too busy being outraged that anyone would be that horrible to other people to get a lot out of them. No the odd one, we didn't like them either. We slogged through all of them but it was boring. Same thing in every book. Kids go somewhere, Olaf finds them in disguise, no one notices (seriously?), kids run off. All through 12 books. Ugh, the last one was worse. Seemed disjointed and not really related to the other books. Dd had the entire set, she sold it. She never sells books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Kind of silly, but fun. They have a rather dark, very quirky humor, but totally innocent. That comes from a rather conservative family who is careful about what they read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Paperbackswap has a lot of these listed right now. Audiobooks too! I just got books 7-13 as a surprise for my kids since we won't be able to finish the audiobooks because we're moving away from this nice big library. And....maybe they'll read them now that they've started the series and love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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